The Empty Tomb

An attractive and glossy gospel leaflet giving a clear gospel message in relation to Easter.

Tract Wording:

For three days after His crucifixion there had been a sad silence among the followers of Jesus. Over the few years of His ministry they had grown to love and trust Him. They had believed that He was the promised Messiah. They had hoped and trusted that He was the Redeemer foretold in their Scriptures. But now He was dead. Two friends, high-ranking counsellors in Jerusalem. had taken His body down from the cross and reverently laid Him in a Garden Tomb near to the place where He had been crucified. Now, the third day, the silence persisted.

But on that third morning, which was in fact the first day of another week, very early in the morning a few women came to visit the tomb. Perhaps there were some final touches which they could attend to, for the Holy Body had been prepared and anointed hurriedly on the crucifixion day because of the approaching Sabbath, a Holy Day.

There was however, a problem. They would have difficulty moving the great stone which had been rolled across the door of the sepulchre. An added problem was that the tomb had been officially sealed. Could they break the official seal? And could they, a few women, move the stone?

Their surprise can only be imagined when they approached the tomb only to find that the great rolling stone had already been moved, and according to one record it was apparently lifted right out of the groove in which it had rolled and was lying flat on the ground outside. What questions filled their minds. Who had moved the stone? Was their Lord's Body still there? Or had it been stolen?

It was soon confirmed that the tomb was empty! The Body was gone! Who had taken it? Who had broken the seal and It was soon confirmed that the tomb was empty! The Body moved the stone? Why? And where were the guards who hod been commissioned to watch? They had no answers, until an angel came with a simple but profound statement. His appearance had earlier alarmed the missing guardsmen and they had fled. But the message which had frightened the guards was a comforting word for the women. Matthew records the details, "There was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you". (Matthew 28.2-7).

They must send for Peter and John who were living nearby and were prominent men among the disciples of Jesus. Soon the two men arrived at the tomb. It was indeed empty; their Lord's Body had gone. But there was another miracle. On the floor of the tomb lay the grave clothes in which the Body of Jesus had been wrapped. The clothes were undisturbed. They lay, not in a tangled heap but in their folds just as they had been when wrapped around His Body. They lay outstretched, for such is implied in the word translated "lay".

Likely the weight of the spices between the folds had caused them to fall flat but otherwise they were indeed undisturbed. They had simply been vacated by the risen Saviour. It was the evidence of a miracle, the wonder of His rising from among the dead.

What encouragement! What assurance for guilty men looking for a Saviour. As Paul the Apostle writes, "I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you by which also ye are saved... how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15.1-4).

For above two thousand years the Gospel of a crucified, risen Saviour has resounded throughout five Continents in a myriad of languages, and still it is reaching hearts and consciences, changing lives everywhere with saving power. Have you believed it? There is still time, but the Saviour is coming back, as He promised, to take those who believe to Himself. Since we don't know when He will come it surely behoves us to be ready now for the great event.

JF